Electric metal-working apparatus.



No; 650,!24. Patented May 22, 1900.

c. COLEMAN. ELECTRIC METAL WORKING APPARATUS.

(Application filed July 29, 1897.) (No Model.)

6,5? I V lg f j, V 6Y- I? Cl de Coleman UNITED STATES CLYDE COLEMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY

PATENT OFFICE.

DIRECT AND MESNE SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC METAL-WORKING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 650,124, Kay 22, 1900.. Application flied July 29, 1897. Serial In. 646,344. (No model.)

To all whom it" may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLYDE COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

'5 have invented a, certain new and useful Improv'ement in Electrical Metal-forking Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear,

concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

. My invention relates to electrical metalworking means, my object being to facilitate the working of metal, particularly metal of large bulk which cannot be readily transported to machine-tools and metal which is highly tempered and hardened, whereby working by mechanical means is very difii cult. My invention is particularly applicable to surface operations upon masses of metal and to the drilling of holes in bodies of metal of considerable thickness; but the invention is applicable'to many other purposes as well.

In practicing my invention I employ the heating effect of the electric are produced by either a direct or an alternating current, pref- I erablytheformer. WithdirectcurrentIpreferably attach the positive pole ofthe battery or source of current to the mass of metal to be operated upon, and to the negative pole I attach an electrode, preferablya carbon rod.- Upon touchingthe end of the rod to the metal and withdrawing it a short distance an arc is formed, the heating effect of which melts the metal at the point of application of the are. In order to shield the are and muflie the noise due to the action of the are, I provide a com- .bined shield and mufile, which I shall hereinafter term a muflie, which consists. of a I box or receptacle, through an opening in 0 which the rod is passed, the edges ,of the muffle fitting against the face of the metal operated upon to thus shield the intense light from the operators eyes and to prevent the escape of various products of the operation.

The muflle also forms a receptacle for the molten metal. In order that the operation of the arcwithin the mufile may be observed, I provide a peep tube or window either upon the mulfle or through the core of the carbon. In order to prevent the vapor and particles of metal dueto'thc operation from. filling the .the core to formv mitis peep-tube and obscuring the vision, I preferably arrange an air draft or blast for forcupon when formed into an alloy 01 compound with another material. As an auxiliary feature of my invention I provide means for supplying an agentsuch as'oxygen, sulfur, aluminium, or thelike-to the metal at the point of application of the are to cause the metal to fuse more readily or to flux and flow more easily. I preferably introduce the agent through the core of the carbon, since in this manner it may be eifectively supplied to the metal in the vicinity of the are. When in the form of gas or fluid, the agent may be supplied through a pipe connected with a pump or reservoir. When in solid form, it may be fed through the core of the carbon in the form of a stick. Sulfur may be sup-' plied in the form'of a stick or powder, or preferably in the form of a gas. Sulfid of iron may thus be formed. Aluminium is em-' ployed in the form of a stick or rod fed through metal, which fluxes readily. Oxygen may be supplied to form an ox'id or phosphorus to' form a phosphid. Other agents may be similarly employed. These agents also assist the arc in eating away the metal. By the employment of cheming a fluid, as air, through the tube and pref- I ical agents with the electric arc the process becomes more elfective, both by the increased melting effect and by the more ready removal of the fused metal. This removal of the metal is an important feature in the drilling of holes through metal of such thickness as to necessitate the passage of the carbon rod beyond thesurface of the body of metal operated upon. The problem presented in boring these long holes is the proper removal of the molten metal. This I accomplish chemically by the employment of fluxing agents, by gravity or magnetically, by subjecting the molten metal to the action of a magnetic field or by a combination of these. By the employment of this electrical method of boring holes I have produced holes as true to aline- .ment and with as perfect a bore as can be hardened steel is more readily drilled by the electric arc than puro'iron, due to the low fusing-point of the steel and the greater fluidity or mobility of the steel when in the melted state.

' I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view illustrating the application of my invention to thev boring of holes. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views of the peeptube. Figs. 4 and 5 are views of the mufile. Fig. 6 is a view showing a modification of the mnflie. Fig. 7 shows a modification of the peep-tube. Figs. 8 and 9 are views illustrating the cored carbon for the introduction of chemical agents to the are. Fig. 10 is a modification showing a carbon with insulated surface. Fig. 1.1 is a view illustrating antagnetic device for facilitating flow of the molten metal. Fig. 12 is a view of a guiding mechanism for the boring of holes.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures.

The carbon rod rod a carries upon the end a collar to, which is connected to one side of.

the battery I), while the opposite side of the battery is connected to the body 0 of metal to be operated upon. The positive pole of the battery is preferably connected with the mass of metal, as best results are obtained thereby. Surrounding the carbon is a shield or mullie (1', provided with a h'ole through which the carbon is adapted to pass, the edges of the mufile being adapted to rest against the surface of the mass of metal. The cover (1' of the muffle is preferably made adjustable, so that it may be moved back and forth to move the carbon into the-desired position. The muifie may be made of fireproof material, such as fire-clay, or preferably of metal, with a lining of asbestos or similar fireproof material.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated a modification of the mufile, in which the carbon rod is surrounded by a flexible cover d of fireproof material, which permits the movement of the carbon rod into any lateral or angular position. In order that the operation upon the interior of the muflle may be open to inspection, a win- (low is provided therein preferably in the form of a peep-tube 6, upon the end of which .is provided a glass pane e, pivoted to rotate about a pin e A brush 8 may be provided, against which the under face of the pane rubs as the same is rotated to keep the surface clean. The portion of the pane resting at the end of the peep-tube should be maintained continuously clean in order that the vaporor floating particles within the mu tile'may not obscure the vision. I preferablyarrange'an air blast or draft to force a column of air along the -peep-tube to maintain the same clear. The draft may be produced by means of a suction-pump'f, drawing the air through a tube f connected with the'peep-tube e, the v entrance to the tube being through the tube f The carbon rod may be cored out to serve as a peep-tube, as illustrated in Fig. 7, and the glass pane may be mounted upon the end of the red, as illustrated. If the glass pane is omitted, it would be necessary for the operator to wear colored glasses, and there would be danger of vapors or, particles escaping through the peeptube and attacking the eyes. For this reason I preferably employ apane upon the end of the peep-tube, and this may be darkened or colored, as desired.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated a hollow carbon (6, through the interior of which may be fed a stick or red g, of aluminum or other fiuxing agent, for the purpose heretofore described.

In Fig. 9 the hollow core of the carbon is illustrated as connected with a pipe h, which may be connected with a reservoir or pump for admitting to the are a gas, fluid, or powder, as may be desired.

The carbon is illustrated in Fig. 10 as provided with a covering of insulating material to prevent the carbon from coming in contact with the side of the hole being bored or into I contact withthe molten metal. ing or covering may be made of porcelain or preferably of a thin tube of magnesite.

By the provision of the insulating-sheath the are is prevented from shifting, and the molten metal being thus prevented from coming into contact with the sides of the carbon rod it does not interfere with the operation of the arc. \Vhen the' insulating-sheath is not employed, the contact of the molten metal with the side of the rod will act to shift the are from the end of the rod to the point of contact of the molten'metal. As soon, however, as the molten metal has been sufficiently eaten away by the are the are is shifted back to the end of the rod again.

In Fig. 11 is illustrated a helix or solenoid formed of electrical conductors wound upon the exterior of the mufile d to produce a magnetic field to assist in the removal of the molten metal from the hole being bored. The magnet thus formed exerts an attraction upon the molten metal which draws 'it from the hole and, furthermore, assists in the flow of the. molten metal, due to the fact that the metal being magnetized tends to repel the ada bundle of rods. subjected to a magnetic This sheathfield, thus causing the molten met-alto flow more readily. The conductors of the magnet may be located in other positions than that illustrated, but I consider this arrangement preferable.

Fig. 12 illustrates a guiding device for the carbon rod. Upon the plate k are mounted electromagnets k k, adapted to be included carbon rod is adapted to peep-tube provided with in electrical eircuit,-.the poles thereof being arranged to rest against the surface of the body of metal to be operated upon. Pivoted to plate It is a plate is, carrying a standard It. Guides Ia k are provided on the plate and standard, respectively, throughiwhich the pass. By means of the screw k the carbon rod may be adj usted to the desired angle. The muflle d(/is mounted upon the plate k, and where the device is to be used in. boring holes from beneath the body of. metal operated upon an upwardly-extending collar 01 is provided upon the muflle, which surrounds the carbon rod and prevents the molten metalfalling into the mufile from interfering with the m'ove-' ment of the carbon rod.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

L'The combination with an electrode be-' tween which and a mass of metal an arc is adapted to be formed, of a mufile surrounding the electrode and inclosing the arc and a a revolving pane, substantially as described.

2. The combination with an electrode between which and a mass of metal an arc is adapted to be formed, of a mu'ffle surrounding the electrode and inclosing the are, a peeptube, and means for creating a blast or draft through the same, substantially as described. 3. The combination with an electrode be.- tween which andamass of metal an arc is adapted to be formed, of a sheathing of insnlating and non combustible material sn'rrounding said electrode, substantially as described.

4. The combination with an electrode between which and a mass of metal an arc is adapted to be formed, of a sheathing of insulating and non-combustible material surrounding said electrode and a mulfle surroundingthe electrode and inclosing the are, substantiallyas described.

5. The combination with an electrode between which and a mass 'of metal an arc is adapted to be formed, of a mufiie surroundingthe'electrode and inclosing the are, and a v agent through the interior magnetic coil on the muflie for producing a magnetic field, substantially as described.

6. The combination'with a hole-boring elec-. trodebetweeu which and a mass of metal an arc is adapted tohe formed, of means for facilitating and assisting the flow of the molten metal between the electrode and the walls of the hole, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a hole-boring electrode between which and a mass of metal an arc is adapted to be formed, of a mufile sur- 6o rounding and inclosing the are, and means for facilitating and assisting the flow of the molten metal between the electrode and the walls of the hole, substantially as described.

8. The combination with an electrodebe- 6 5 tween which and a mass of metal an arc is adapted to be formed, of a magnetically-held standard and-guide'for said electrode and means for adjusting the position of the elec trode, substantially as described. 7o

9. The combination with a mass of metal, of an electrode between which and said mass of metal an arc is adapted to be formed, a muffle entirely inclosing the end of said electrode and having the edges thereof arranged to engage the face of said mass of metal to' shield the arc and retain the molten metal, and means for feeding a chemical or fluxing of said electrode to the are formed at the end thereof, substantially as described.- v

'10. The combination with a mass of metal, of an electrode between which and said mass of metal an arc is adapted to be formed, a muflle entirely inclosing the end of said electrode and having the edges thereof arranged to engage the face of said mass of metal to shield the are and retain the molten metal, and a window or, opening for permitting a view of theinterior of the mufile in the vi- 9o cinity of the are, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

- CLYDE COLEMAN. Witnesses:

W. CLYDE Jonas,

. M. R. Rocmronn. 

